The Grand Magus In Murim

Chapter 2: A New Life Beneath Heaven

The awakening of the young master of the Ling Merchant House spread throughout the residence like wildfire. For three years, the servants had watched their master and mistress suffer in silence. They had witnessed Ling Zhenghai spending fortunes on physicians and miracle medicines. They had seen Madam Xu sitting by her son's bedside through countless nights, praying to the heavens while wiping his face with trembling hands. Now, the impossible had happened. The young master had awakened. The entire manor became lively. Servants hung red decorations along the corridors. The kitchens prepared lavish meals. Even the guards standing outside the gates wore smiles on their usually stern faces.

Inside the eastern courtyard, however, the atmosphere was considerably quieter. Ling Tianyu sat on the edge of his bed while a physician examined him. The elderly doctor stroked his white beard thoughtfully while checking Tianyu's pulse. His brows occasionally furrowed before relaxing again.

"Strange," the physician muttered.

Ling Tianyu remained silent. Rather, he did not know what to say. The memories of Ling Tianyu and Aurelius Constance had begun to merge together. Ancient magical language mixed with the local tongue of this world, causing confusion whenever he attempted to speak. He knew what he wished to say. His mouth simply refused to cooperate. Several times, strange words slipped out unconsciously. Words that belonged to forgotten magical civilizations.

"...Aether... no..." Tianyu frowned before correcting himself. "I mean... water."

The physician blinked. Ling Zhenghai immediately leaned forward. "Doctor Sun, what is wrong with my son?"

Doctor Sun released Tianyu's wrist and sighed. "The young master has slept for three years. It is natural for his mind to suffer confusion after awakening." He glanced toward Tianyu, whose expression remained calm. "His memory appears disordered. He recognizes familiar faces yet occasionally mistakes words and objects. In ancient medical texts, this condition is called soul confusion."

Madam Xu covered her mouth anxiously. "Will he recover?"

Doctor Sun nodded reassuringly. "Do not worry. It is not uncommon among those who awaken after prolonged unconsciousness. With time and familiar surroundings, his mind should gradually stabilize."

Ling Zhenghai finally relaxed. "Good. As long as my son lives, everything else can be treated."

Tianyu looked at the middle-aged couple standing before him. His father appeared dignified despite his merchant background. Fine robes draped over his broad figure, while traces of exhaustion lingered beneath his eyes. Madam Xu's elegant beauty had faded slightly from years of worry, yet the affection in her gaze remained unmistakable. Parents. The word felt unfamiliar.

"...Father," Tianyu said hoarsely.

Ling Zhenghai froze.

"...Mother."

Madam Xu's eyes immediately reddened. "My child."

Before Tianyu could react, she embraced him gently. The warmth startled him. For a moment, Aurelius Constance forgot how to breathe. He had never experienced this before. He had been abandoned as an infant. He never knew who his parents were. The first person who showed him kindness had been his master. A mage. In Aurelius's original world, mages stood above ordinary people. They were nobles among nobles. Only a small fraction of humanity possessed magical affinity. Those gifted with mana were treated with reverence regardless of their birth. Even kings hesitated before powerful magicians.

Aurelius had been fortunate. At least, that was what he once believed. A wandering mage discovered him starving beside a roadside ditch and brought him home. The old magician taught him letters. Fed him. Sheltered him. For the first time, Aurelius experienced something resembling family. Then his talent revealed itself. His affinity surpassed imagination. His mana reserves eclipsed seasoned mages despite his youth. The pride in his master's eyes gradually transformed into something else. Greed.

Suspicion led Aurelius to uncover the truth. The old mage had never intended to raise him as a son. He had merely cultivated a suitable vessel. Once Aurelius matured into a Fifth Class Mage, the old man planned to perform forbidden soul transference and steal his body. That night became the first time Aurelius killed. He remembered trembling hands covered in blood. Remembered staring at the corpse of the man who had taught him everything. His teacher. His parent. His first victim. There were no tears. Only emptiness.

Afterward, Aurelius wandered the world alone. Killing a registered mage was a capital crime. Without academy recognition, he was merely a rogue magician. Regardless of circumstances, the law would condemn him. For years he traveled from kingdom to kingdom, hiding his identity while pursuing greater understanding of magic. He learned to trust no one. To rely only upon himself.

Yet now... Madam Xu's embrace held no hidden intentions. Ling Zhenghai's concern appeared genuine. Tianyu slowly returned the embrace. Awkward. Unfamiliar. But sincere.

"...Thank you," he whispered.

Neither parent understood why tears briefly flickered within their son's eyes. Only Aurelius knew. He had received something in this life that he never truly possessed in the previous one. A family.

A month passed swiftly. Ling Tianyu gradually adapted to his new identity. He no longer referred to himself as Aurelius Constance. That name belonged to another world. Another lifetime. Now, he was Ling Tianyu. Young master of the Ling Merchant House. His days became peaceful. He wandered the manor's gardens. Read books from his father's collection. Observed servants going about their duties. Compared to his previous existence, this life felt unimaginably safe. No divine conspiracies. No dragons lurking beyond city walls. No demons plotting humanity's extinction.

Yet peace did not mean weakness. Through careful observation and conversations with others, Tianyu slowly understood the nature of this world. This land was governed by the Great Xia Empire. The Emperor ruled from the capital through appointed officials and military governors. However, imperial authority only extended so far. Beyond the courts existed another world. The Murim. The Jianghu. A realm belonging to martial artists. These individuals cultivated internal energy known as qi. Through years of discipline and tempering, ordinary humans transcended mortal limitations. They shattered stone with their fists. Moved faster than galloping horses. Leaped across rooftops. Some legendary masters could split rivers with sword strikes and annihilate armies alone.

Murim itself remained divided. Righteous sects upheld honor and justice. Demonic factions pursued strength without restraint. Aristocratic martial clans preserved ancient techniques through bloodlines. Wandering martial artists roamed freely across the Jianghu seeking opportunities and fame. Conflict between these groups had persisted for generations. The empire rarely interfered. As long as martial artists did not threaten imperial stability, both sides maintained an uneasy coexistence.

Tianyu sat beneath a pavilion overlooking the Ling Manor. He closed his eyes. Unlike mana, which flowed through magical circuits, the energy surrounding this world permeated heaven and earth itself. It was abundant. Pure. Alive.

"I cannot sense mana," he murmured. "But this qi..." His fingers tightened slightly. "...perhaps the principles are not so different."

The Grand Magus who had once stood above gods had lost everything. His magic. His immortality. His tower. Yet his knowledge remained. A thousand years of understanding could not simply vanish.

Opening his eyes, Ling Tianyu gazed toward the bustling streets of Qinghe City beyond the manor walls. This world of martial artists was unfamiliar. Dangerous. Filled with mysteries. A small smile appeared on his lips. He had lived once as Aurelius Constance. Now, he would live as Ling Tianyu. And perhaps, in this new world beneath heaven, the former Grand Magus would once again climb toward the peak.